Through the stans!
 

Hi all. I am helping to plan a trip which goes through many of the stans by car. I would really appreciate any info in any of the following, especially friendly, English speaking contacts, Border crossing info and internet access points.

Turkmenistan (Turkmenbashi, Ashgabat, Merv)
Uzbekistan (Khiva, Bukara, Samarkand, Tashkent)
Tajikistan (Dushanbe, Khorog, Pamir Highway, Murghab)
Afghanistan (Iskashim, Wahkan)
Kazakhstan (Shymkent, Taraz, Almaty)
Kyrgyzstan (Sary Tash, Osh, Bishkek)

Thank You,

Tom.

We did the Stans in 2009. Kiva, Samarkand and Tashkent are great and interesting, Kurgy and Bishkek is good as well. In Turkmenistan you must do Darvasa gas crater, it will involve a nights camping in the Karakom desert. When we went you had to have a Govt guide with you at all times. (The white scorpions are only little)